Abrasive blasting is a common surface preparation technique used in ship building, ship maintenance, and other industrial activities to remove old paint and other surface materials such as rust, mill scale, dirt, salts, and other impurities. In some contexts this procedure may be referred to as sand blasting. The abrasive blasting may be conducted to prepare a surface for painting and/or for treatment with a corrosion inhibitor. In abrasive blasting, compressed air may be used to propel abrasive material and to direct the abrasive material on the work area at a relatively high velocity. The operator or blaster may manipulate a wand that comprises a nozzle for directing the abrasive material. In some applications, air pressure used in blasting may be as high as 100 PSI, and nozzle velocities of abrasive material may be between 650 feet per second to 1,700 feet per second. Abrasive blasting may be conducted in confined spaces.
During abrasive blasting, abrasive material may bounce back or ricochet onto the blasting operator. Further, during abrasive blasting, a blasting operator may be subjected to a direct blast, for example if one blasting operator accidently directs a blast on another blasting operator or if a blasting operator drops his blasting tool, and the blasting tool directs the blast upon the blasting operator. It is prudent, and may be required by law and/or regulation, that the blasting operator use respiratory protection, eye protection, and face protection while blasting to avoid injury from either ricochet bounce back or direct blasting.